To Paint or not to paint

[Canuck]

I am in the process of restoring a 71 W30 convertible. I just recently acquired a NOS short block specific to the year and tagged as a warranty replacement block for this application.


My question is twofold:
When a dealer replaced an engine back in the day with a factory replacement unit,would they have painted the block or entire assembly or left it bare with just the painted original parts,assuming the paint had not been boiled off.

For my restoration I am considering leaving the block bare but with a clear protective coating that will preserve the inspection marks and not rust. The other parts would get a full detailing as the car is getting a body off frame roteserie restoration.

Thaought,comments input from anybody who worked in a dealer or had a engine replaced under warranty and has recollection on how it was delivered back to the customer.
Not including a ZLI what would have been the practice?

[PxTx]

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...opics/437858/1

There was a similar debate here.

[bwag]

The paint or no paint on the warranty block was up to the mechanic working on the car. I painted every block or head and even water pumps that I worked on. The man working 2 stalls away from me never painted anything. He said "It doesn't pay anything to take the time to do it, so I'm not doing it". I usually timed the job to do the painting just before lunch break or quitting time so I didn't worry about the wet paint. The paint always came out of the clean-up shop.

[Plowman]

When I worked in a dealer I asked what do I do about painting the block,in 1971 on as auto flat rate mechanic,they said,the warranty clerk,if the paint is charged to the repair order the manufacturer would bounce or deny the whole repair. So if I saw a can of correct paint in the clean-up area I would ask for it and some times I would paint the replaced engine.

[PxTx]

So if GM never issued paint, and there wasn't a part number for factory GM engine touch-up paint I guess painting it would be a Day 2 mod [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

[Dicky]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pxtx</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So if GM never issued paint, and there wasn't a part number for factory GM engine touch-up paint I guess painting it would be a Day 2 mod [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] </div></div>

Agree DH [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

[x77-69z28]

The 70 Z28 project I am working on now has a CE block in it. Never painted. The heads were put back on with the orig paint on them. Same for the oil pan. I was shocked. I guess it depends on who was putting it in.
Buddy

[RST]

I wouldn’t paint it for no other reason than the fact that it would be very cool to show all of the original markings that came on a replacement block………….very cool : )

[Canuck]

All
Thanks for the comments. I spoke with my parts guy at The GM dealership I have been dealing with for 30 years and he has been there 38 years. He said it was up to the mechanic and only if the parts dept supplied the paint.
My gut feeling was to leave it bare,it could always be painted later.
Paul

[earntaz]

IMHO -- leave it alone ... if you change your mind, you can paint it later.